If he comes back, because he is carrying this pelvic/hip injury, he's unlikely to make the following game. JD/Cowling are being unfair to him and should give him time to completely recover and bring in a striker on loan.

If he comes back, because he is carrying this pelvic/hip injury, he's unlikely to make the following game. JD/Cowling are being unfair to him and should give him time to completely recover and bring in a striker on loan.BlueandWhiteBaz

BlueandWhiteBaz wrote:
If he comes back, because he is carrying this pelvic/hip injury, he's unlikely to make the following game. JD/Cowling are being unfair to him and should give him time to completely recover and bring in a striker on loan.

They can't afford a proven goalscorer. They might get a young player on loan but is he going to score goals? Could they bring back Freddie Ladapo? No, they woin't admit they made a mistake. In that case, start Bonne and Szmodics in every game from now to the end of the season.

[quote][p][bold]BlueandWhiteBaz[/bold] wrote:
If he comes back, because he is carrying this pelvic/hip injury, he's unlikely to make the following game. JD/Cowling are being unfair to him and should give him time to completely recover and bring in a striker on loan.[/p][/quote]They can't afford a proven goalscorer. They might get a young player on loan but is he going to score goals? Could they bring back Freddie Ladapo? No, they woin't admit they made a mistake. In that case, start Bonne and Szmodics in every game from now to the end of the season.Boris

Boris, let's face it if we can't afford even a non-league striker, then this club is finished and they might as well pack up and save us all the heart ache. You cannot run a club on a youth set-up alone. Crewe have one of the best academies in the lower leagues and they have become a yoyo club and struggle most years. They have been doing this for 15 or more years and you can't really say it's been successful for them. We will never get crowds back this way.

Boris, let's face it if we can't afford even a non-league striker, then this club is finished and they might as well pack up and save us all the heart ache. You cannot run a club on a youth set-up alone. Crewe have one of the best academies in the lower leagues and they have become a yoyo club and struggle most years. They have been doing this for 15 or more years and you can't really say it's been successful for them. We will never get crowds back this way.BlueandWhiteBaz

Everybody is entitled to a personal opinion about "football"; which I respect; albeit perhaps different to mine. But why are so many rubbish facts being spouted in these columns?

For example; some claiming to be “loyal fans” are falsely citing “falling attendances” to justify their current point of view and their desire for change as regards tactics and manager. Yet, the Football League data proves the contrary; and hence (arguably) that a majority of 'loyal fans' feel differently.

It is fair to anecdotally cite that a few former fans have stopped attending (for whatever reason); but average attendances (to date) in 2013-14 (3,638) are actually 3% higher than for last season; and also marginally higher than the average of our last four Division One seasons at Layer Road (3,606); and not too far below the average gate in our promotion season (3,969).

So even if we were enjoying more success today (e.g. better results); where is the evidence that 'success' would bring in any more local fans? The facts are also that we are also not witnessing any fewer. For example;

When Parky was in charge and we were chasing promotion to the Championship that evidently didn’t twirl the turnstiles any more than an extra 331 times compared to today (less than 10%). Today, we perhaps easily make up that small difference in Police, Stewards; St John’s Ambulance and Mascots (here; I jest!).

Also if the football was “so much better at Layer Road”; why didn’t local fans bother to turn up there in any greater numbers during the 21st Century (in Division One) than they do now at WHCS? The averages are almost exactly the same!

In the Championship years; it is pretty obvious why we added about 2,000 to our more usual (3,600) average gate. It would probably have been higher had we not had a number of sell-outs at the old ground and turned people away. It is also true that even after our relegation from the Championship we maintained our average crowds at 5,000+ for a brief period. However, both local and away fans were probably far more curious to visit the new stadium; plus we entertained some very significant AWAY crowds; such as Southampton; Leeds; Millwall; Norwich; plus we had far more local derbies; like Norwich; Charlton; Southend; Daggers etc. What that suggests is that we should future aspirations for the club; but our expectations today should be limited.

The facts are that attendances are now simply back to what we might ALWAYS have expected for a mid-table Division One Colchester Team that (I am confident) will avoid relegation; be that team be performing at Layer Road or WHCS; and whilst the team is enjoying few genuine local derbies. The weather has conspired against us; as had we (say) played Sheffield United on a Saturday rather than a Tuesday; the crowd would surely have far exceeded 3,088?

It’s also wrong to compare Tuesday crowds with Saturdays. Some people were also citing the 2,600 versus Rotherham as “falling attendances”. Yes; it was 400 less than the previous Tuesday (against the Blades); but it is exactly the same average as for almost any previous Tuesday night (in Division One) at either WHCS or Layer Road this century; except when entertaining a big local derby like Charlton, Daggers, Orient, Millwall, Southend etc.

Hence, by all means do express your points of view; but please keep things factual. True fans will indeed both praise and criticise when justified; but they don't spread malicious false data and propaganda that undermines the club (or manager).

I personally think the Academy and youth is the ONLY way ahead given the limitations of the Financial Fair Play Rules and that Joe Dunne is doing a good job during this transition. Many will disagree; and if they don't turn up; that is their prerogative; but respect that a good many in our 3,638 average actually like what they see; and that's just as many as at Layer Road in recent times; albeit that they share your disappointment as regards some results.

Everybody is entitled to a personal opinion about "football"; which I respect; albeit perhaps different to mine. But why are so many rubbish facts being spouted in these columns?
For example; some claiming to be “loyal fans” are falsely citing “falling attendances” to justify their current point of view and their desire for change as regards tactics and manager. Yet, the Football League data proves the contrary; and hence (arguably) that a majority of 'loyal fans' feel differently.
It is fair to anecdotally cite that a few former fans have stopped attending (for whatever reason); but average attendances (to date) in 2013-14 (3,638) are actually 3% higher than for last season; and also marginally higher than the average of our last four Division One seasons at Layer Road (3,606); and not too far below the average gate in our promotion season (3,969).
So even if we were enjoying more success today (e.g. better results); where is the evidence that 'success' would bring in any more local fans? The facts are also that we are also not witnessing any fewer. For example;
When Parky was in charge and we were chasing promotion to the Championship that evidently didn’t twirl the turnstiles any more than an extra 331 times compared to today (less than 10%). Today, we perhaps easily make up that small difference in Police, Stewards; St John’s Ambulance and Mascots (here; I jest!).
Also if the football was “so much better at Layer Road”; why didn’t local fans bother to turn up there in any greater numbers during the 21st Century (in Division One) than they do now at WHCS? The averages are almost exactly the same!
In the Championship years; it is pretty obvious why we added about 2,000 to our more usual (3,600) average gate. It would probably have been higher had we not had a number of sell-outs at the old ground and turned people away. It is also true that even after our relegation from the Championship we maintained our average crowds at 5,000+ for a brief period. However, both local and away fans were probably far more curious to visit the new stadium; plus we entertained some very significant AWAY crowds; such as Southampton; Leeds; Millwall; Norwich; plus we had far more local derbies; like Norwich; Charlton; Southend; Daggers etc. What that suggests is that we should future aspirations for the club; but our expectations today should be limited.
The facts are that attendances are now simply back to what we might ALWAYS have expected for a mid-table Division One Colchester Team that (I am confident) will avoid relegation; be that team be performing at Layer Road or WHCS; and whilst the team is enjoying few genuine local derbies. The weather has conspired against us; as had we (say) played Sheffield United on a Saturday rather than a Tuesday; the crowd would surely have far exceeded 3,088?
It’s also wrong to compare Tuesday crowds with Saturdays. Some people were also citing the 2,600 versus Rotherham as “falling attendances”. Yes; it was 400 less than the previous Tuesday (against the Blades); but it is exactly the same average as for almost any previous Tuesday night (in Division One) at either WHCS or Layer Road this century; except when entertaining a big local derby like Charlton, Daggers, Orient, Millwall, Southend etc.
Hence, by all means do express your points of view; but please keep things factual. True fans will indeed both praise and criticise when justified; but they don't spread malicious false data and propaganda that undermines the club (or manager).
I personally think the Academy and youth is the ONLY way ahead given the limitations of the Financial Fair Play Rules and that Joe Dunne is doing a good job during this transition. Many will disagree; and if they don't turn up; that is their prerogative; but respect that a good many in our 3,638 average actually like what they see; and that's just as many as at Layer Road in recent times; albeit that they share your disappointment as regards some results.Noah4x4